Denver vs Salt Lake City
Denver, CO · Salt Lake City, UT
Salt Lake City is 8% cheaper than Denver overall.
Home Price
Denver: $565,000
Salt: $485,000
Monthly Rent
Denver: $1,395/mo
Salt: $1,149/mo
COL Index
Denver: 121
Salt: 111
Median Income
Denver: $85,200
Salt: $77,200
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Denver has the same purchasing power as $91,736 in Salt Lake City — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Salt Lake City cost 14% more (-$80,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Salt Lake City saves you $246/month — $2,952 per year. Median rent: $1,395/mo in Denver vs $1,149/mo in Salt Lake City.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Denver owners pay roughly $3,108/year in property taxes vs $2,571/year in Salt Lake City. Rates are comparable.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $85,200 in Denver and $77,200 in Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City residents earn 9% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 26 minutes in Denver vs 23 minutes in Salt Lake City. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Denver to Salt Lake City, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Denver | Equivalent in Salt Lake City | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $45,868 | -$4,132 |
| $75,000 | $68,802 | -$6,198 |
| $100,000 | $91,736 | -$8,264 |
| $150,000 | $137,603 | -$12,397 |
| $200,000 | $183,471 | -$16,529 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
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Property Tax Calculator
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Denver Calculators
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Denver vs Salt Lake City: Common Questions
Is Denver or Salt Lake City cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Salt Lake City is cheaper overall. Denver has a COL index of 121 while Salt Lake City scores 111 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Denver and Salt Lake City?
The median home price in Denver is $565,000 vs $485,000 in Salt Lake City — a difference of $80,000 (14%).
What salary do I need in Salt Lake City to match my Denver income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Denver is equivalent to $91,736 in Salt Lake City in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Salt Lake City has a lower property tax rate (0.53% vs 0.55%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $2,571/year vs $3,108/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.